Sinclair Volleyball Mounts Unbelievable Comeback at Home

Dayton, OH – The Sinclair (15-10/6-6) Volleyball team, fighting for an outside chance to advance to post-season play, needed a win October 23 against Lakeland (18-13/6-6) to keep any hope alive.  The win in five games was most unlikely given that fact that Lakeland had Sinclair on the ropes and facing defeat down 20-24 in the fourth game.

Lakeland jumped out early in game one as they took a 17-11 lead, but this would be the start of a trend of the night for the Pride.  They battled back and won game one 25-21.

Games two and three Lakeland held on late to secure 25-23 wins respectively and looking to take control.

With most of the home crowd already starting their weekend plans, the fun was just about to get started.  The Lakers had it on cruise and up 19-10 in what should have been the final game of the night.  Game four for the Lakers could not have started out any better, but it would turn out to be a very bad grade-B horror movie by the time it was over.  Sinclair slowly and with growing confidence won point after point till they got within two at 20-18.  Lakeland once again pulled ahead and this time pushed Sinclair to several game points at 24-20, but like Freddy Krueger Sinclair refused to go away.

Once Sinclair tied it up at 24, you could feel the electric from all 30 remaining fans.  Both teams took turns at holding the lead and each team had several game points.  The sense of urgency showed on every players face as they agonized over every point.  Finally up 37-36, Meg Rieneke (FR-Outside Hitter/New Knoxville H.S.) put the game away for Sinclair and forced a very improbable game five.

The nightmare on Third Street was not over for the visiting Lakers, we had game five.  And in the fifth and deciding game, the double-feature continue for a hopeful Lakeland squad.  They once again jumped out on the home team 6-0 and looked to be back in control, until the scarecrows came back alive.  Just when the Lakers thought it was safe to go back in the water, the Pride turned out the lights and sent everyone home with a 15-13 game five and match victory.

Meg Rieneke (FR-Outside Hitter/New Knoxville H.S.) tallied for 31 kills and 37 digs in tonight's game and Alexandra Petri (SO-Outside Hitter/Springboro H.S.) also had 30 kills along with 32 digs to help scare off any Lakeland offense. Melissa Mireles (SO-Setter/Germantown, OH) contributed with 66 assist for the Tartans in tonight's game.  

Lakeland  (18-13/6-6)                  21      25      25      36      13        

Sinclair     (15-10/6-6)                  25      23      23      38      15     

All home games are played in Building 8 on the downtown Dayton campus. 

You can also get results and stats at : www.SinclairAthletics.com